Bijapur

Bijapur Pictures

While trying to figure out a suitable route from Udaipur to Kochi, I had been seeing a place called 'Vijayapura' on Google maps, which I had not noticed in the past. It's as if a new place has sprung up. While speaking to local people  in Ellora, I realised that's Bijapur! 

Imagine how a historic town can get erased from the map! 

We were to halt there after Ellora. I told Krish we will visit Ibrahim Roza and Gol Gumbaz and head out around 2 pm. He wasn't keen claiming he has seen both 35 years ago! I told him I just revisited Humayun's tomb after 35 years and the perspective was different. 

What a miss it would have been if I hadn't stopped at Bijapur. 

Ibrahim Rauza is the mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah II was built by his wife Taj Sultana in 1626/27 CE. Adil Shahi dynasty had ruled Bijapur for about 200 years. Inscriptions play a major role in ornamenting the complex. Don't miss the carvings, calligraphy and wooden windows and doors. Gol Gumbaz, is the mausoleum of  Mohammed Adil Shah, son of Ibrahim Adil Shah. This structure, construction of which began in the 17th century, never got completed. While Ibrahim Rouza is about finesse, Gol Gumbaz is about size. Scale.

Mohammed Adil Shah wanted his mausoleum to be grander than his father's. It is one of the largest single chamber structures in the world. Its dome is considered to be the second largest in the world after St. Peter's Basilica. (So, I have seen two largest domes in the world!)

I had visited Bijapur on a Friday and museum in front of Gol Gumbaz was closed. The museum showcases, apart from arms, coins and statues, Malik-i-maidan, one of the largest cannons ever made. It was cast in Ahmadnagar in 1549. Very close to Gol Gumbaz are Jod Gumbaz and Jumma Masjid.